Track-wheel suspension for track-laying tractors



E. H. SAVAGE.

TRACK WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR TRACK LAYING TRACTORS.

APFUCATION HLED SEPT. 8, 1919.

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muwmmnmmmumm WIN H. SAVAGE {3F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND TRACTOR COMPANY, O EUCLID, OEIO, 1i. CORPQRATION OF OHIO.

TRACK WHEEL S'USPENSIUN FOR TRACK-LAYING TRACTORS.

rinse -see.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filer September 8, 1919 Serial Ho. 322,545.

To all 'lF/IONZ it may concern Be it known that I, EowiN ll. Si-XVAGE, a

'citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in thc county of (Juyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful lniprovei'nent in Track-Wheel Suspensions for 'lrack-Laying Tractors, of which the following is a full, clear, and enact description. I

This invention is an iinprovenient in the kind of track laying tractors typified in the White Patent No. 1,253,319 in which. two track fraiiies lie on opposite sides of the main frame and are pivoted thereto near their rear ends. and have certain resilient load supporting connections interposed be tween their front ends and the main frame.

The invention relates to novel means by which the track wheels are mounted on these track frames; the primary object of the invcntioii being to relieve the machine of shocks and jars to which it would otherwise be subjected when the track belts, during use of the tractor, are laid down on rough ground.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts shown in. the drawiiig'al'id hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in the appended claims.

in the drawing, Figure l a side elevation partly broken away of one of the track frames to which the present invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sec tion taken iii two planes, the left half of this figure being in the plane indicated by line Q on Fig. 1, and the right side being on the plane of line 2" on Fig. 1. Fig, 3 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of line 3--3 on Fig. 1.

The so-callcd track frame comprises essentially two parallel spaced apart vertical longitudinally extended side beams 10 and 12. ln the specific construction shown, which, however, is not essential to the present invention, the two side bianis of the track frame are also connected and held in spaced relation by a top plate 13. A, hear-- ing box bracket 20 is scoured to the rear end of each of these side beams by any suitable means. The boxes 21 carried by these brackets are for the purpose of pivotally embracing an axle fixed to the main frame whereby the side frame will be pivotally connected at its rear end with the .iiiaiii. frame. A yoke lat is,,co 1nec ted with the .nv-ctioii between the adjacent which stud is carried by Patented Nov. My, 1920.

front end of the track frame and it is to this voke that the resilient load supporting iiicans or front spriiigr suspension means are connected. The construction, to the extent described. is that of a known tractor, to which this invention is applied.

The two trucks E30 and 31. are associated with each track frame; and they are arranged in aliiieiiient, and are located between the two side i eains of the track frame. The truck 31 is pivotally connected at its front end on a transverse pivot 32 with the track frame, while the rear truck 30 is piv otally connected at its rear end by means of a transverse pivot 33 with said track fraiiic. As shown this pivot 33 is supported by the brackets 20.

Each truck comprises two parallel spaced apart side bars 35. lunch of these bars is an angle bar, and the bars are placed so that the horizontal parts thereof project away from one another. that is, they areoutwardlv'extended. The front pivot 32 is a rock shaft which is i-otativelv mounted in two brackets ill which are rcspectivel) con nected with the inner faces of the two side beams 10, 11?, of the track frame. Shafts 36 extend between and are clamped to the side bars: '55 of the truck, and the track wheels 37 are rotatablv niouiited upon these shafts between said side bars.

There is a resilient load supporting conends of these two trucks and the side beams of the track frame. To produce this. two leaf springs 40 are provided. At their front these leaf, springs, or rather, the master leaf thereof, has a pivotal connection with a. stud 1(5 a bracket 17, one of these brackets being riveted to the inner face of each of the side b unts 10, 12.

Other brackets 18 are riveted to the inner faces of these two side heanis in position to engage the rear-ends of said leaf springs. ltlach of these brackets has a Spl'llig seat flange ll) against the upper face of which the rear end of the associated leaf spring engages. There is likewise a bolt 18 connocted with the bracket '18, and with the associated side bar of the track frame which spring-- seat be connected together near their middle points in the usual manner, and, as shown, they are embraced by a boxl1l2 which is immovably fixed around them. Two out- 5 wardly extended bars .44: are fixed to each side bar of each truck frame near the free end thereof. Each pair of bars 44 go up on opposite sides of a 1103,42, and a bolt 45 extends between and connects, the two bars a l and overlies the said box 42.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the adjacent free ends of two trucks may move upward relative to the track frame;but they do not so move independently of each other because when one goes, up or down the adjacent end of the other truck gets a corresponding motion because of the described connections. These upward movements however, are yieldingly resisted bv the leaf spring 40.

3 Various changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention shown and described herein, provided the means stated in any of the following claims are the equivalents of such stated means to be emploved. 1

' aving' described my invention, 1 claima-a 1. In a track laying tractor of the charan. acter specified, the combination of a track frame which includes two spaced apart side beams and has at opposite ends respectively a pivotal and a resilient load supporting connection with the main frame, two trucks which are arranged in alinement, and which, at their remote ends, are pivoted to the track frame, resilient load supporting means interposed between said track frame and the adjacent ends of the two trucks, and track .40 wheels mounted on said trucks.

2.111 a track laying tractor of the character specified, the combination of a track frame which includes two spaced apart side beams and has at opposite sides respectively a'pivotal and a resilient load supporting connection with the main-frame, two trucks which are arranged in alinement between the two side beams of the track frame,

which truck frames at their remote ends are pivoted to the track' frame, spring seats fixed to said track frame, leaf springs which near their ends engage said spring seats connections between the adjacent ends 0.

said trucks and said leaf springs near their middle points, and truck wheels mounted on said trucks.

In a track laying tractor of the character specified, the combination of a truck,

frame which'includes two spaced apart side bcams and has at opposite ends respectively a pivotal and a resilient load supporting connection with the main frame, two trucks which are arrangedin alinement between the two side beams of the track frame, which truck frames at their remote endsare pivoted to the track frame, a pair of spring seats fixed to the inner face of each of i is side beams of the track frame, two leaf springs each of which engages near its with a pair of said spring seats, a boa embracing the middle part of each leaf spring, and means connecting the adjacent ends of said trucks with said box, and traclr wheels mounted on said trucks.

4. In a. track laying tractor of the acter specified, the combination of a tract; frame which includes two spaced apart side beams and has at opposite ends respectively a pivotaland a resilient load supporti u connection with the main frame, two tru which are arrangedin alinement between the two side beams of the track frame, each truck frame comprising two parallel s bars, two rock shafts each of which mounted in a pair of bearings secured spcctively to the side beams of thetrnclr frame, means clamping the side bars of one truck with one of these rock shafts, mean: clamping the side bars of the other true the other rock shaft, transversely cit-tend d lllt the two side beams of the track frame, each 7 truck frame com rising two parallel burs, two rock siafts each of which is mounted in a )air of bearings secured re spectively to the side beams of the track frame, means clamping the side bars of one truck with one of these rock shafts, means clamping the side bars of the other truclt to the other rock shaft, transversely attended shafts fixed to the side bars of said trnclrs, track wheels rotatably mounted upon said. shafts, two leaf springs, a pair of brackets secured to one side beam of the track frame carrying spring seats with which one of said leaf springs engages near its circle, a second pair of brackets secured to the other side beam of said track frame and carrying spring seats with which the other is. i

necting the other leaf spring with theother L two alined truck side bars near their ad iacent ends.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto ethic my signature.

EDWIN H. SAVAGE. 

